About the job

Job summary

The Media and International (MINT) Directorate covers broad and exciting areas of work. If you join our team you will work across government and industry to drive forward policy in a range of dynamic sectors, including TV, radio, press, advertising and international affairs.

We pride ourselves on our inclusive and respectful team environment, with ample opportunities to get involved in corporate work or staff networks. Our staff survey scores show positive engagement in all areas, with a high level of interest in our work.

The UK media plays an invaluable role in our national life and in ensuring a thriving democracy. The government is committed to supporting the UK media sectors, including ensuring media freedom, plurality and sustainability in the face of economic and social change created by new digital technologies.

We are looking for a policy professional to join the Press Radio & Media Freedom team as Head of Media Freedom & Projects. The team is responsible for a number of high profile policy areas that are priorities for DCMS Ministers and No.10, including media mergers and media ownership, press sustainability and taking important radio and press measures through the Media Bill. 

Job description

This is a high profile role, which involves regular, fast-paced engagement with Ministers, Special Advisors, senior stakeholders across government and press stakeholders on complex, politically sensitive issues.

The successful candidate will work closely with stakeholders inside and outside of Government to champion an independent press and protect media freedom. They will also lead on and deliver the Government’s commitment to improving the safety of journalists operating in the UK. Responsibilities are likely to include:

• Upholding media freedom by working with stakeholders including the press sector, police, and other government departments such as the Home Office, MoJ, FCDO and DSIT, to ensure HMG policy delivers the press sector needs and priorities.
• Development and delivery of legislation, including implementation of the Online Safety Act’s protections for news publishers’ content. 
• Delivery of the National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists, refreshed in October 2023, and leading an effective secretariat function of the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists.
• Leading an effective secretariat function for the SLAPPs Taskforce and the successful delivery of its work plan, published in December 2023.
• Strategic press projects, which may include urgent and/or high-priority work across the press policy team, as well as research and policy development responding to the changing nature of the press industry. 
• Line management of one HEO, with the potential for further task/line management as required. 

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential requirements

• Strong verbal and written communication skills which allow you to communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way, and experience of explaining complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.
• Able to work with senior stakeholders in and across different organisations and sectors, with experience of actively building and maintaining a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives.
• Experience of weighing up evidence and analysing information from a range of sources, including complex and incomplete evidence, and making decisions confidently even if they prove to be unpopular. 
• Ensure activity in your area reflects wider strategic priorities; bringing together views, perspectives and diverse needs of stakeholders to gain a broader understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities.

Desirable skills

• Experience of delivering legislation 
• Experience of media, digital or technology issues and / or previous experience in a sector facing policy role 

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Isabel Evans, and will take place on: Monday 29 April, 15.30-16.00.

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this form and you will be sent an invitation. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,839, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £13,456 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than 23:55 8 May 2024 via the CS Jobs portal:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 3 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.

For the shortlist, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.

The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths and potentially include a presentation.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Communicating & Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture 
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview. 

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview. 

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only., Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk  

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or a verbal test rather than a written one. 

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.